Maryville announces coaching change

"It is very evident that
Kandi and our vice president, who again rarely ever come out to
watch a football practice, they believed that tough, physical
football practices is not appropriate at Maryville College,"
Ierulli told theKnoxville News
Sentinel.
Photo by Bruce Lee for d3photography.com

The search is underway for a new head football coach at
Maryville. Athletic director Kandis Schram announced Monday that
Tony Ierulli is being replaced after nine years at the helm of the
football program.

“On Nov. 23, Maryville College issued a statement to
inquiring media that Tony Ierulli was no longer its head football
coach,” Schram said. “The delay in making a formal and
public announcement was at the request of Coach Ierulli.”

Schram said that a search committee is being formed currently to
select the next coach, adding that details will be announced at a
later date.

The Scots ended the 2011 campaign with an overall record of 4-6.
They finished fourth in the USA South Athletic Conference.

Schram said the decision to end Ierulli’s nine-year tenure
at the college was a difficult one, but one she believed was in the
best interest of the athletics department and student-athletes.

“I want to thank Tony for his commitment to Maryville
College athletics,” she said. “His hire as coach
brought new life to a program that was in a downward spiral. His
efforts in the last nine seasons have displayed his enthusiasm and
tenacity.”

A 1980 graduate of Maryville, Ierulli accepted the offer to head
the Scots’ football program in January 2003. Since then, his
teams have compiled a 39-51 record. Their five-year record in the
USA South Athletic Conference is 24-25.

“Wins and losses are not the total measure of success in a
Division III college athletic program,” she explained.
“We also measure success by how well we develop the total
student-athlete through high-quality competition that stresses
excellence and helps them grow and learn.”

Before returning to his alma mater, Ierulli was defensive
coordinator at Shippensburg University, where he was named Division
II Assistant Coach of the Year in 2002. Other coaching jobs
included linebacker coach and recruiting coordinator under Terry
Bowden at Samford University and defensive coordinator under Rocky
Rees at Susquehanna.

“As a fellow alum of Maryville College, as well as the
athletics director, I am proud of Tony’s many coaching
accomplishments and wish him well in whatever he decides to do
going forward,” she added.